NFL DFS Building Blocks – Week 7

Welcome to Week 7’s DFS preview! Last week, we had some mixed results. The Drake Maye stack lineup on Yahoo was a standout, but even that could have been better if I picked anyone other than Ja’Lynn Polk to stack with him. 

Hopefully this week we can put it all together. We’ve got another smaller Sunday main slate thanks to byes, a London game, and two Monday games. Luckily, there are still plenty of interesting spots to attack. Let’s get started!

Game Overviews

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns

Projected Totals: Bengals 23.5, Browns 18.5

These teams may be only separated by one win in the standings, but their vibes are extremely different. The Browns have accepted their fate, trading away Amari Cooper and looking toward the future. The Bengals, meanwhile, are trying desperately to get back into contention in the back of a red-hot offense. The only reason this game’s projections aren’t more lopsided is that the Browns’ defense is still decent, which the Bengals would kill for. 

Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson is hilariously bad. Even in a favorable matchup and at cheap prices (especially on DK), he’s not worth playing. Joe Burrow, on the other hand, has been on fire. Cleveland’s defense isn’t a great matchup, but they actually rank just about average in adjusted points allowed. Given that Burrow is projected to be rostered in just around 1% of lineups, building a contrarian stack around him isn’t the worst idea, although he is expensive.

Running Backs

With Jerome Ford out and Nick Chubb returning, I’m not touching this Browns backfield with a ten-foot pole. The only potential exception is playing Chubb on Yahoo, where he is at the minimum price. However, he projects to be 40% rostered at that price, which seems extreme for a player in a terrible offense on their first week back from a gruesome injury. Completely fading him is a tempting idea. On the Bengals’ side, Chase Brown has overtaken Zack Moss for the more valuable role in Cincinnati’s backfield. Especially on DK, where he is relatively cheap, the explosive sophomore is a viable play, although Cleveland is still a solidly below-average matchup for RBs.

Wide Receivers

With Amari Cooper out of town, Jerry Jeudy is obscenely cheap for a team’s WR1. With that said, we have to consider that Cooper himself had just one useable fantasy outing through six weeks as the Browns’ top target. Jeudy can be played, but don’t be shocked if he ends up with four catches for 30 yards on 10 targets. I’m not interested in Elijah Moore. Meanwhile, Tee Higgins has actually out-targetted Ja’Marr Chase in each of the last three weeks, but both have been scoring plenty of points. I prefer Higgins given his much cheaper price, but you can’t go wrong paying up for Chase. Andrei Iosivas has found himself the odd man out, with just a 6% target share over the last three weeks.

Tight Ends

Erick All and Mike Gesicki continue to cut into each other’s workload enough to both not have fantasy relevance. David Njoku, however, is very interesting. Last week, his first fully healthy week of the season, he led all tight ends with a 30% target share. With Cooper gone, he could easily see that volume again. He suffers from the Watson effect just like the rest of Cleveland’s offense, but that level of usage could let him overcome it, especially when he is priced outside the top nine TEs on both DK and FD. 

Defenses

Any defense against the Browns is in play, and that applies to the Bengals’ defense despite their struggles. The Browns’ defense is not a good option in this matchup. 

Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts

Projected Totals: Dolphins 20.5, Colts 23.5

Anthony Richardson is in line to start for the Colts on Sunday, for real this time. As I mentioned last week, that is still undeniably a fantasy downgrade for the entire Colts’ offense. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are rolling out Tyler Huntley, who will hopefully be improved after a week off to study the team’s playbook. 

Quarterbacks

Just like last week, I’m tempted by the idea of Anthony Richardson priced outside the top 10 QBs. His floor is very low in a matchup where the Colts could try to lean on the run game, but he does still have elite dual-threat upside. He’s a tournament play, not a cash option. Speaking of tournament plays, Tyler Huntley is also ever-so-slightly tempting at bargain bin prices. The Colts have been a good matchup for opposing QBs, and he does have some rushing upside of his own. With that said, the Dolphins’ offense has been absolutely terrible of late, so playing their QB is not for the faint of heart. 

Running Backs

The same applies to trying to play either De’Von Achane or Raheem Mostert. Achane especially still has elite upside thanks to his receiving usage and big-play ability. That upside is why he projects to be decently rostered despite three straight bad weeks, and I certainly see the appeal of him priced outside the top 10 RBs. You could make a similar argument for Mostert, who is even cheaper, but he is even riskier as the 32-year-old has yet to show that he still has the big-play juice so far this season. For the Colts, Jonathan Taylor has been ruled out again with an ankle injury. That leaves Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson to carry the load in the Colts’ backfield. If Miami continues to struggle massively, Sermon could see enough volume in a positive game script to pay off his cheap price. However, Richardson in place of Joe Flacco means fewer checkdowns for the Colts’ RBs, making Sermon risky as a value option.

Wide Receivers

Josh Downs is too cheap, especially on DraftKings, for how he has been producing. This is doubly true because Michael Pittman Jr. seems highly questionable with a back injury. However, it’s hard to overstate how much worse Richardson is for Downs’ fantasy outlook than Flacco — he averages essentially half as many catchable passes per game. If MPJ is out, Adonai Mitchell should see plenty of snaps making him an interesting dart throw for a big play at a bargain price. Otherwise, I’m avoiding Downs, MPJ, and Alec Pierce. On the Dolphins’ side, a very similar logic applies to Tyreek Hill as to Achane. His price has fallen, but he still sees elite volume and has game-breaking big-play ability. Given that his projected rostership is much lower than Achane’s, I like throwing a dart or two at Tyreek (although I tried this last week, too, and it didn’t work). Jaylen Waddle’s price has also fallen very low for a player of his talent, making him a potential option.  

Tight Ends

There are no fantasy-relevant TEs in this matchup.

Defenses

Both of these defenses are worth considering. Richardson makes enough mistakes to have the Dolphins’ defense in play, and the Colts’ defense will have a good outing unless Miami’s offense took multiple steps forward over their bye.

Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons

Projected Totals: Seahawks 24.5, Falcons 26.5

As reflected in these massive projected totals, this game figures to have fireworks. Seattle leads the league in pass rate over expected at 9.3%, while the Falcons have averaged 7.1% over the last three weeks. There are multiple players in play on both sides.

Quarterbacks

Geno Smith is unlucky not to have more fantasy points so far this season. He leads the league in passing yards but has a very low 2.4% TD rate. Positive regression will hit that number eventually, and this is not a bad week to hope for it as the Seahawks will have to stick to their pass-happy ways to keep up. He is especially cheap on DK. Kirk Cousins is also priced cheaply for the QB on a team with such a high total. He’s worth considering, although you almost have to stack him given his complete lack of rushing upside.

Running Backs

Kenneth Walker is underpriced on all three sites. He sees great usage to go with elite big-play ability in the rushing game and has been heavily utilized in the passing game as well, with eight targets in each of his last two games. He’s a great play in all formats. Bijan Robinson also brings explosive upside and receiving work, but it’s hard to ignore that he has seen only two more attempts (and the exact same amount of goal-line attempts) as Tyler Allgeier over the last three weeks. I’m fading him at high prices and massive projected rostership. Allgeier himself is a bit intriguing given his recent usage at a cheap price, but he lacks upside.   

Wide Receivers

Just like his QB, DK Metcalf is due for some positive regression. His numbers (and prices) are low for someone seeing a 21% target share on the league’s most pass-happy offense. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is also seeing a near-20% target share; his prices are cheap, but his 8.2 ADOT makes it hard for him to provide much upside. Tyler Lockett is clearly third in this pecking order, but the Seahawks’ high projected volume makes him a pay-down option as well. The Falcons are a very solid matchup for opposing WRs, which gives all three a boost. Meanwhile, Drake London is too cheap on both DK and FD, especially now that he seems to finally be separating himself from Darnell Mooney. With that said, Mooney is also an option, as he still has a 21% target share for the season. Ray-Ray McCloud boasts a 17% target share of his own and is dirt cheap.

Tight Ends

With just a 12.5% target share for the season, Kyle Pitts will need a big play to pay off his price, but he is still capable of one. Noah Fant is not worth considering. 

Defenses

If the totals didn’t make it clear, neither the Falcons’ defense nor the Seahawks’ defense should be played in this one. 

Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers

Projected Totals: Texans 22.5, Packers 24.5

We’ve got another relatively offensive-minded matchup here, featuring two of the top six teams in yards per game. The Packers, yet again, have a receiver who is truly questionable at the time of writing (this time, it’s Dontayvion Wicks), while the Texans will be without Nico Collins for another week. 

Quarterbacks

Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud are actually fairly similar, as they are both elite young pocket passers with plenty of weapons … but they are still pocket passers. Both have relatively high prices on all sites, and they have low projected rostership to match. You can build a stack around either of these guys for a tournament, but there are better cash game plays.  

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs’ price has fallen, and I like taking that discount. He is due some positive touchdown regression, as the Packers have scored a league-leading percentage of their TDs through the air. Joe Mixon, meanwhile, has played just two games this season and smashed in both. He could do so again this week, but it’s worth wondering how involved he would be if the Texans fell behind early. 

Wide Receivers

With Nico Collins sidelined, both Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs had big games last week (and target shares north of 21%). I prefer Dell, who out-targeted Diggs last week and is priced much lower, but both are options. On the Packers’ side, things are much less predictable. Jayden Reed is still the top option, but he has had a couple of floor games this season and is expensive for someone with below a 19% target share. Romeo Doubs scored two TDs last week but often struggles to earn targets. If Dontayvion Wicks is out, Christian Watson will see a full route share, at which point his big-play ability is intriguing. If Wicks is in, I will avoid both him and Watson. Some member of this group will probably have a good day; it’s predicting who that is the issue. Play them for the upside, but be aware of the risk.

Tight Ends

The crowning of Tucker Kraft was a bit premature. He has elite YAC ability, but his 13% target share and 3.2-yard ADOT point to his low weekly floor. He’s a boom-or-bust play like the rest of the Packers’ receiving options. Dalton Schultz is much more involved in the Texans’ offense with Collins out, making him a solid mid-range TE option.

Defenses

I’m avoiding both the Packers’ defense and the Texans’ defense in what should be a high-scoring affair. 

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

Projected Totals: Eagles 22.5, Giants 19.5

The Eagles got all of their weapons back last week, but things weren’t exactly pretty as they barely beat the putrid Browns. This week, it’s the Giants’ turn to get their top weapons, Malik Nabers and Devin Singletary, back, which should provide a boost to their offense.

Quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts is the most popular QB play of the week on all three sites, which is a little surprising given the Eagles’ mediocre projected total and his top-four prices. Elite weapons and rushing upside make him always a perfectly valid option, but I’m tempted to fade Hurts for this week. After all, he has just one top-six weekly finish for the season. Daniel Jones brings some rushing upside of his own and is priced low, especially on DraftKings. You can definitely build a stack of him and Nabers for tournaments, but beware of his low floor. 

Running Backs

I’m avoiding the Giants’ backfield with Devin Singletary back, as it’s very difficult to know how they will split work between him and Tyrone Tracy. Unfortunately, the most likely outcome may be a relatively even committee that leaves both backs without much fantasy value. Saquon Barkley doesn’t have to worry about a committee, and he’s worth considering even as the most expensive back on the slate. 

Wide Receivers

Yahoo, with its performance-based prices, has Malik Nabers as the most expensive WR on the slate in his return from the concussion protocol. This points to the fact that he may be a bit of a bargain priced outside the top five WRs on DK and FD — after all, his 35.9% target share is truly absurd. However, his return (and the return of that huge target share) is the end of Darius Slayton’s brief run of fantasy relevance. Wan’Dale Robinson continues to command a large target share of his own, although he is best played in DK’s full PPR format, as he doesn’t exactly make the most of those targets. A.J. Brown has played two weeks and finished as a top-seven WR in both of them; he’s always in play. DeVonta Smith is also an option.

Tight Ends

With Dallas Goedert out, Grant Calcaterra is an intriguing value TE play. He stepped right into Goedert’s pass-catching role with four catches for 67 yards last week and is dirt cheap. Theo Johnson is interesting in theory, but the Giants pass less to the TE position than any other team in the league. 

Defenses

The Giants’ defense projects to be a very popular punt play on DK and FD this week, as they have been solid, could take advantage of the Eagles’ offensive struggles, and, most importantly, are very cheap. The Eagles’ defense is much more expensive (except on Yahoo), so I am fading them as this Giants offense isn’t truly terrible enough to justify a top-three price tag.   

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

Projected Totals: Lions 24.5, Vikings 26.5

This NFC North showdown is another one of the games of the week. The Vikings are undefeated, while the Lions are fresh off absolutely toying with the Cowboys. 

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff doesn’t provide rushing upside, and the Lions are always happiest when running the ball. With that said, if there was a week to play him, this may be it, as the Lions will not be underdogs often. Sam Darnold has been running pure with an 8% TD rate, but that may just continue with Kevin O’Connell working his magic. He’s also cheaper than Goff, making him perhaps the more enticing option in this matchup. 

Running Backs

DFS sites are catching up to the fact that David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are very similar fantasy plays. Montgomery is priced higher on FD, while Gibbs understandably gets the edge in DK’s full PPR scoring — they are both priced at $29 on Yahoo. Both can be played in any given week, as they both have massive TD upside. Aaron Jones is listed as questionable but reportedly likely to play. The Lions are technically the second-worst adjusted matchup for RBs, but that’s mostly because they have been blowing teams out. Assuming the Vikings can make good on being favored at home, Jones is a good play at decent prices on DK and FD.  

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson has yet to have a truly huge game, partially because the Vikings have hardly needed to play from behind. If this game turns into a shootout, he could pay off his top WR prices, and his floor is the best in the business regardless. Jordan Addison could also benefit from a hot game script, and he is unsurprisingly much cheaper; with a 19% target share for the season, he’s my favorite relatively cheap way to get a piece of this matchup. On the Lions’ side, things are slightly trickier. Amon-Ra St. Brown has yet to post a top-10 finish, making it hard for me to pay his top-four prices. Jameson Williams obviously has huge big-play upside, but his targets have come way down over the Lions’ last three games. Hopefully, this high-octane matchup is what they both need to provide ceiling outcomes.  

Tight Ends

I’m completely out on Sam LaPorta, who is still priced up despite a 9% target share for the season. He can make me pay with a TD or two, but I’m willing to take that risk. Unless T.J. Hockenson defies expectations and suits up, no Vikings TE is in play. 

Defenses

You won’t be shocked to hear me recommend avoiding both the Vikings’ defense and the Lions’ defense. 

Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills

Projected Totals: Titans 15.5, Bills 25.5

The Titans’ offense is near-unwatchable. The Bills have also been ugly offensively, but they at least have been getting the job done regardless. Trading for Amari Cooper hopefully means they plan to let Josh Allen loose a bit more going forward.

Quarterbacks

Speaking of Josh Allen, his results have been very up and down. He has two QB1 weekly finishes and another top-five finish, but also three finishes outside the top 18 quarterbacks. He’s always capable of breaking the slate with a rushing TD or two, but I fear this week looks more like a floor week as the Bills are content to slowly grind Tennesee to death. Will Levis is questionable with a shoulder injury, but neither he nor Mason Rudolph is in play, regardless of who gets the start.

Running Backs

With Tyjae Spears out with a hamstring issue, Tony Pollard will likely see a massive workload. That’s enough to make him a good play against a Bills defense that gives up the most adjusted points to opposing running backs. However, I think Pollard still comes with a bit of risk, as this Titans offense is in real danger of collapsing completely. James Cook is set to return this week for the Bills. The question is how involved Ray Davis will be after shining in Cook’s absence last week. Cook has more risk than usual due to that question, but he’s still an option in what should be a very run-heavy game script. 

Wide Receivers

I’m fading Amari Cooper in his Buffalo debut. His price is low, but there’s a real chance the veteran hasn’t learned enough of the Bills’ playbook yet to play a full set of snaps. The Titans are also the single worst matchup for receivers. With that in mind, I’m also avoiding Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. In fact, I’m not playing any WRs from this matchup. I’m almost tempted by a squeaky wheel narrative for Calvin Ridley after he complained about not seeing enough targets in last week’s game … but then I remember that he did see eight targets, just caught none of them. DeAndre Hopkins is trending back toward a more normal route share after seeing limited snaps to start the season, but it’s simply impossible to trust any pass-catchers with Will Levis under center. 

Tight Ends

Dalton Kincaid has seen solid target shares over the last four weeks, but I have the same concern for him as I did with Allen — Joe Brady is going to be happy to play very conservatively in this easy matchup. Chigoziem Okonkwo is not an option.

Defenses

The Bills’ defense is expensive, but I think Levis’ mistake-prone game makes paying up for them a viable option. The Titans’ defense is cheap but there isn’t much to like about them.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Rams

Projected Totals: Raiders 17.5, Rams 25.5

The Raiders lost a superstar receiver this week, while the Rams may be getting one back. You know things are bad in Vegas when they are eight-point underdogs to a 1-4 Rams team.

Quarterbacks

Aidan O’Connell has the price and matchup to almost be appealing; it’s just a shame that he’s Aidan O’Connell and his WR1 is Tre Tucker. Matthew Stafford has gotten unlucky with an absurd 1.7% touchdown rate, and the potential return of Cooper Kupp is obviously a boost to his outlook. However, he finds himself in a similar position to Allen in the previous game: Heavily favored with a coach that’s happy to pound the rock. I’m avoiding both of these QBs.

Running Backs

Kyren Williams has perhaps the best in the NFL, and this week he also gets one of the best possible matchups. He’s a great pay-up RB option. With Zamir White likely back, neither he nor Alexander Mattison is appealing even in a decent matchup.

Wide Receivers

If Cooper Kupp is ruled in, his absurd 35.5% pre-injury target share means we have to consider him. Even if the Rams don’t pass much, that level of volume would give him an elite floor and ceiling. If he’s out, Jordan Whittington and TuTu Atwell are both value options (they’ve both consistently out-targeted Demarcus Robinson). On the Raiders’ side, there’s very little to get excited about. Tre Tucker is the de facto WR1, but he saw just a 5% target share with both Meyers and Adams out last week. He’s a dart throw value option, nothing more.

Tight Ends

Brock Bowers, on the other hand, has seen target shares of 32% and 28% over the last two weeks. He’s a very solid option as the TE3 in price on all sites. Colby Parkinson has also seen at least a 20% target share in both of his last two outings. If Kupp is in, he’s off the table; otherwise he’s an okay pay-down option.  

Defenses

The Rams’ defense is terrible but still in play against the unthreatening Vegas offense. The Raiders’ defense is not.

Carolina Panthers @ Washington Commanders

Projected Totals: Panthers 20.5, Commanders 30.5

The Commanders have come back to Earth a little bit offensively, but they still lead the NFL in EPA per play. The Panthers under Andy Dalton have also come back to Earth, but he’s still a huge upgrade from Bryce Young. The 10-point spread makes this matchup tricky, but that 30.5-point total is obviously something we want to target.

Quarterbacks

Jayden Daniels is unsurprisingly both expensive and highly rostered. The only potential concern is that the Commanders get a huge lead and ease off the gas, but Daniels will still be involved in building that lead. Andy Dalton is particularly cheap on DraftKings compared to the other two sites. That low price makes him a value option, as he could rack up some garbage time points in this matchup. 

Running Backs

Chuba Hubbard is the RB2 in all formats over the last four weeks. He’s seeing great usage and making the most of it with efficiency, making him absolutely worth playing at prices outside the top 10 RBs. This is a dream spot for the Commanders’ RBs; the only question is who will be available to take it. Brian Robinson is questionable with a knee injury. If he plays, he’s a great option (especially on DK) — the only risk is that they limit his touches in an easy matchup. If Robinson is out, Austin Ekeler becomes essentially a must-play on all sites. He saw elite usage last week, and the Panthers’ run defense is terrible.

Wide Receivers

Terry McLaurin isn’t too expensive and has had good performances for four weeks straight; he’s a solid play. If you want a dart throw play, Noah Brown is dirt cheap and has quietly established himself as the Commanders’ clear WR2. Of course, he comes with essentially zero floor. Diontae Johnson is questionable with a couple of injuries, and I think there’s a real chance he will miss this week. If he’s active, he’s still underpriced given his recent performances. If not, Xavier Legette becomes the Panthers’ WR1 and is a good value play.  

Tight Ends

With Tommy Tremble likely back, Ja’Tavion Sanders is no longer a sneaky sleeper play. Zach Ertz is at an okay price for his volume, but he doesn’t bring much upside unless he scores a couple of TDs.

Defenses

Obviously, the Panthers’ defense is off the table. I’m also avoiding the Commanders’ defense, as they are expensive (except on Yahoo) and Carolina has at least been competent with Dalton in command.

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Francisco 49ers

Projected Totals: Chiefs 23.5, 49ers 23.5

I can see this Super Bowl rematch going a million different ways. Everything from a low-scoring defensive affair to an all-out shootout doesn’t seem out of the question. 

Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes is expensive for a guy with zero top-12 finishes so far this season. However, if there was ever a matchup where Mahomes is forced to actually let it rip, this might be it. Building a stack with the best quarterback in the league at under 5% rostership sure is tempting. Brock Purdy has had much better fantasy results than Mahomes and is cheaper. He’s an option, especially given that KC has a much better run defense than pass defense, 

Running Backs

Jordan Mason doesn’t have an injury designation after hurting his shoulder in Week 6. However, his price is way up (except on Yahoo), and the Chiefs are easily the worst adjusted matchup for running backs in the league. The 49ers always have a chance to run on anyone, but Mason is risky this week. Kareem Hunt has seen solid usage over the last two weeks, and he is much cheaper on DK than on the other two sites. He’s an option, although I’m still worried the wheels will fall off at some point. 

Wide Receivers

Deebo Samuel showed last week that he still has game-breaking big-play potential, which means he is always an option. Brandon Aiyuk has had just one good game through six weeks, but he’s far too cheap for a player of his talent. They both get a boost with Jauan Jennings out, too. For the Chiefs, JuJu Smith-Schuster is absurdly cheap on DraftKings. He’s in play on the other sites, too, but he’s a no-brainer play on DK coming off a 20% target share in Week 5. Xavier Worthy is intriguing as a rookie post-bye-bump candidate, but he’s expensive for how low his volume has been. 

Tight Ends

With Rashee Rice out, Travis Kelce is back to his old self. He’s expensive but worth it if you can afford him. George Kittle is also expensive, which is scary given his tendency to have down games in this crowded offense. However, the Chiefs are easily the best matchup for opposing tight ends, which means he is firmly in play.

Defenses

I’m not playing the 49ers’ defense or the Chiefs’ defense, as these offenses are both scary.

Lineups

DraftKings

Cash Game

I’m going to start with JuJu, who is simply too cheap. The Dolphins’ defense against Richardson also seems like a decent place to pay down given the randomness of defensive scoring. I’m also going to back Purdy, who has taken a real step forward this year. Njoku with Cooper gone is also a no-brainer play. That leaves enough money to pay up for two expensive RBs in Walker and Hubbard. From there, things get a bit tricky. I want to play one of the Commanders’ RBs against Carolina, but which one of course depends on whether Brian Robinson is active. If he’s out, we can play Ekeler and two solid mid-range WRs. If he’s in, one of the WRs has to be slightly cheaper, but there are still plenty of good options in the $6k area. 

Tournament

I’m going to use the Seahawks stack for this one, as they are going to hit positive regression in a big way at some point. That means Smith and Metcalf, with London going back the other way. However, I’ll still go back to JuJu and his bargain price at WR3. I want to pay up at TE in tournaments, as the top few guys have a much better ceiling than anyone else. In this case, that means Bowers. If we’re chasing positive regression with our stack, let’s also chase it at running back with Jacobs — here’s hoping all those TDs he’s been missing come at once. The Dolphins’ defense again leaves us with enough cash to fill flex and RB2 with two mid $5k options. There are some high-upside choices there, for sure. 

FanDuel

Cash Game

The name of the game in cash is projectable volume. We are willing to pay up for that with Pollard, Kyren, and Walker to fill our running back and flex slots. We can get it cheaper at WR, as Wan’Dale and Aiyuk should both see a solid number of targets and don’t cost too much. Let’s also go with Hurts, who has potentially the safest floor of any QB on the slate. Of course, we have to pay down somewhere, but what better place to do that than at the two worst positions in any lineup: Dalton Schultz and the Giants’ defense (yes, against our own QB). That just leaves one WR slot, and there are multiple options — don’t be afraid to leave a little money on the table.   

Tournament

Here is where I’ll take my shot at chasing upside with Anthony Richardson. Assuming Michael Pittman is out, let’s also pair him with the explosive rookie in Adonai Mitchell. Add Njoku at TE, and we are absolutely swimming in cash. Walker is too cheap, Aiyuk is too cheap, Nabers is too cheap, and we can have them all … with money left over for a solid defense and two more $7k+ players. 

Yahoo

Cash Game

Let’s start with the two obvious plays: Nick Chubb at the minimum, plus the Bengals’ defense getting to face Deshaun Watson. That leaves us enough money to pay up for the highest options at both one-off positions: Jayden Daniels and George Kittle. Aiyuk is too cheap, as is Tank Dell. I’m also going to get weird and play Bowers in the flex for a two-TE build — he should see more targets than any similarly-priced WR. From there, we’re just one more WR and one more RB from a lineup; pick your poison.  

Tournament

I’ve gotten weird with the Yahoo tournament each of the last two weeks, and it actually worked out great last week, so let’s do it again … by going back to the stack that let us down in Week 5. That’s right, it’s Dalton and Diontae time. As much as I want to fade him, I’m going to take Chubb here again. I’ll also take the Bengals’ defense again, plus some hopefully less-rostered value with Calcaterra. Aiyuk also stands out as being underpriced for his talent and usage. For those of you keeping track at home, we now have almost $100 left for just three players. It’s pretty easy to feel good about what we do with those last three spots.